Four local graduates selected as 'Amanda Wins' scholarship recipients

News from Clarksville

July 15, 2011

Some of you will remember Amanda Post, who passed away in 2009 during her freshman year at River Hill High School because of complications from a bone marrow transplant for relapsed Acute Myeloid Leukemia. She was in her ninth year as a player with the Soccer Association of Columbia and was passionate about excellence in academics and athletics.

In loving memory of Amanda, the $5,000 Amanda Post "Amanda Wins" River Hill High School Student Athlete Scholarship and Amanda Post "Amanda Wins" Soccer Association of Columbia/Howard County Student Athlete scholarships were established by her family, friends, teammates and classmates. The scholarships are awarded annually to recipients to help defray costs of tuition, room and board and other expenses during the first year of college.

Because of continued generous contributions combined with the large number of highly-qualified applicants, this year the Post family offered two additional scholarships. The most difficult task was for the scholarship selection committee to rank all applicants.

Congratulations to the four talented recipients of the second annual scholarship awards by the Columbia Foundation and the Post family.

Timothy Higgins, a four-year lacrosse and two-year junior varsity football player, received one of the Amanda Post "Amanda Wins" River Hill High School Student Athlete Scholarships. He will be attending the University of Maryland Honors College to study biology with a focus on pre-med. He hopes to be able to volunteer at Children's Hospital in preparation for his future career as a pediatric oncologist.

Daniel Shi, a four-year cross-country, three-year indoor track and two-year JV baseball player, was the other recipient of the River Hill scholarship. Daniel will be attending Columbia University, in New York City, where he will major in aerospace engineering with a possible minor in business. He hopes to continue playing intramural sports and study abroad in Italy.

The Amanda Post "Amanda Wins" Soccer Association of Columbia/Howard County Student Athlete Scholarships went to Ryan Konstanzer and Breanna Marsh, both Reservoir graduates. Ryan is a 14-year SAC player who will be attending Xavier University, in Cincinnati, with a major in business and a double major or minor in biotechnology or a related field. He has committed to run as a sprinter on Xavier's track and field team.

Breanna, an 11-year SAC player, will be attending the University of Maryland and major in kinesiology in preparation for graduate studies and a career in physical therapy or as a physician's assistant. She intends on playing club soccer or club lacrosse at Maryland. Best wishes on a winning future.

Andrew McKnight's folk music will be the featured entertainment for the free River Hill Summer Concert series at the shopping center Friday, July 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. The Swingin' Swamies will play Jazz, Latin, R&B and soul music July 29.

I recently attended a pre-session of Hometown Nazareth, Jesus' hometown. It's quite distinctive and looks to be a wonderful sensory exposure to life as it was when Jesus was a child. Participants will see, hear, taste, smell and feel what life was like long ago. Come to the Marketplace to purchase a sweet treat or create a fragrant gift for mother.

There are so many things to experience and so little time. The program, geared to children ages 4-12, runs Aug. 1-5 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Triadelphia Seventh-day Adventist Church, on Brighton Dam Road. Director Jesse Wenzel is hoping everyone will register as there are many supplies to provide, but no child will be turned away if they come to Hometown Nazareth. For more information or to register, call 301-854-3678 and be sure to leave your name and contact information.

What can you do for your community? The answer is probably more than you think and more easily than you might imagine. Volunteers collected 1,540 bags of debris on 145 miles of "Adopted" roads last year. If you are interested in helping to create a cleaner community, call Larry Wiley at 410-313-7472.